BBC apologises over ‘xenophobia’ remark in Thought for the Day segment

Published: 14 August 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. English Chronicle Online.

The BBC has issued an apology and retrospectively edited a segment of Radio 4’s Thought for the Day following controversy over remarks made by Krish Kandiah, the theologian and head of the Sanctuary Foundation, who described comments by senior Conservative politician Robert Jenrick about asylum seekers as “xenophobia.”

Kandiah’s remarks, delivered on Wednesday’s Today programme, prompted a strong response from Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, who argued that the segment unfairly labelled concerned parents as racist. The BBC subsequently removed “some of the language used” by Kandiah in the online version of the segment, stating it was not appropriate for the faith-focused radio slot.

During the broadcast, Kandiah cited Jenrick’s Mail on Sunday article in which the politician expressed fears about small boat arrivals and the potential impact on his daughters’ safety. Kandiah remarked that such fears, although widespread, were irrational and that most asylum seekers were fleeing war, persecution, and famine. He further noted that statistical evidence did not suggest migrants posed a greater risk to children than the general population.

Alf Dubs, a Labour peer who came to the UK as a child refugee, defended Kandiah’s use of the term “xenophobia,” stating that Jenrick’s comments encouraged hostility and undermined compassion, thereby creating a dangerous precedent in discussions about refugees. Kandiah himself was not banned from future Thought for the Day segments and reportedly intended to make broader points about inclusion, community cohesion, and welcoming the stranger.

In his Mail on Sunday article, Jenrick listed crimes, including sexual offences, allegedly committed by migrants and emphasised his concern for his children’s safety, stating: “I certainly don’t want my children to share a neighbourhood with immigrant men with backward views who broke into Britain illegally, and about whom we know next to nothing.” He later criticised the BBC broadcast on X, asserting: “On BBC Radio 4 this morning listeners were told that if you’re concerned about the threat of illegal migrants to your kids, you’re racist. Wrong. You’re a good parent.”

The BBC released a statement acknowledging that, while the segment broadly reflected the faith-based perspective expected of Thought for the Day, some of the language exceeded those boundaries, and the corporation apologised for its inclusion. Contributors to the programme are expected to avoid party political points, with segments approved in advance by two members of BBC staff to ensure balance.

Tina Beattie, a Catholic theologian and fellow Thought for the Day contributor, supported Kandiah’s broader message but cautioned against referencing specific politicians, noting the tightrope contributors must walk between maintaining impartiality and delivering meaningful reflection.

The controversy emerges amid heightened tensions over asylum accommodation across the UK, following protests outside hotels housing migrants and refugees, particularly after an Ethiopian asylum seeker was charged with a sexual offence in Epping, Essex. The BBC apology highlights the challenges faced in addressing sensitive social issues within faith-based media while navigating public scrutiny and political sensitivities.